The State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs welcomed 25 outstanding International Fulbright Science and Technology Award (Fulbright S&T) Fellows from 23 countries to Washington, D.C., from June 13-16. The International Fulbright S&T program, which supports foreign students for doctoral study in the United States, is designed to be the most prestigious international scholarship in the sciences and to demonstrate the United States’ commitment to welcoming top-notch future researchers and leaders to pursue serious scientific study and research at prominent U.S. institutions and labs.
While in Washington, the International Fulbright S&T Fellows participated in activities with senior government officials and scientists at the White House, the World Bank, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Fellows were briefed by the State Department’s Office of the Science and Technology Adviser and by Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Kerri-Ann Jones. Fellows also participated in roundtable discussions on science and technology in global diplomacy and development and on water resources issues.
Approximately 45 Fulbright S&T Fellows from around the world are chosen annually through a rigorous, merit-based selection process in their home countries followed by a field and discipline review by leading U.S. academic leaders and researchers with final approval by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Like all Fulbright Program participants, International Fulbright S&T Fellows exhibit leadership skills and represent their culture in their host communities. Fellows must also demonstrate unique aptitude and innovation in scientific fields. They will return to their home countries to contribute to their societies using the scientific knowledge they gained while in the United States.
This article was originally published on the State Department Bureau of Public Affairs website at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/06/143093.htm.
